TKe First Flo-wers of Spring 



^y^^NE of the first plants that bloom in 

 I I spring is the Christmas Rose, 

 t ^"'^ Heliborus Niger, probably named 

 t^ Christmas Rose from the fact that it 

 (blooms in the south of England about 



RodericK Cameron, Niagara Falls, Ont. 



drops are well known to all lovers of 

 flowers. They are among the first 

 plants to bloom, starting early in April. 



Among the first to bloom in the open 

 is the English Daisy, Bellis perennis. 

 It is as common as the dandelion in the 

 grass in the park. The next plant to 

 bloom with us is the sweet purple Eng- 

 lish violet. 



The foregoing are all the plants that 

 bloom here during April, but May pro- 

 duces new-born flowers every day. I 

 go around my beds and borders every 

 evening to see and admire the new bom 

 faces that seem to smile at me. It is 

 needless to say that I smile in return 

 I am so glad to see them, and to 

 know that they have pulled through 

 the winter so well. But it is a very 

 difficult task to remember their proper 

 names. 



Cowslip, Primula officinalis, is a 

 I)lant seldom seen in gardens; yet, its 

 beauty and associations naturally make 

 it valuable. It seems to stand our cold 



White Rock Cress 



Christmas. In Queen Victoria Park, 

 Niagara Falls, last year, the plant was in 

 bloom from November to April. 



Another plant that blooms here in 

 the month of April is Daphne Mezereum. 

 This is a shrub that grows to five feet 

 high and flowers before the leaves ap- 

 pear. It bears many violet-purple 

 flowers, on brown, erect stems. The 

 fragrance of these flowers is exquisite 

 during the morning and evening. Many 

 passers-by enquire where the fragrance 

 comes from. Daphne Mezereum is a 

 rare wildling in Ontario and even in 

 America, but on the DufFerin Islands, 

 in the Niagara river, it grows as under- 

 brush. During the fall, it is covered 

 with showy scarlet fruit about the size 

 of peas. There is a variety of the same 

 that produces white flowers and fruit; 

 otherwise, they are similar. Both of 

 these shrubs should be hardy in many 

 parts of Ontario, particularly if grown 

 from the seed. Another of this type is 

 Daphne Cneorum, a dwarf, spreading, 

 evergreen shrub, called by some "The 

 Garland Flower." This is a choice 

 subject growing by itself, or as a border 

 to a bed of shrubbery. It produces 

 flowers in abundance of a light lilac 

 color during spring and fall, and fills 

 the air with a most delicious fragrance. 



Hepatica Irihola and Hepatica acuti- 

 loba are native plants, better known by 

 the name "Liver Leaf." They bear 

 beautiful, deep blue flowers. They 

 well deserve employment, particularly 

 in well-shaded spots in the rock work. 

 Their leaves are evergreen. These 

 plants are the first to bloom in the open. 



The common crocuses and the snow- 



Purple Rock Cress 



winters and hot summers well. It is 

 supposed to be the parent of the majority 

 of our varieties of Polyanthus. 



Farther north, where it would not be 

 safe to plant greenhouse plants in beds 

 before the middle of June, primrose, 

 polyanthus and cowslip are grand sub- 

 jects to plant in the beds in the fall to 

 bloom in the spring, as they would be 

 done blooming before the beds are re- 

 quired for the greenhouse stock. The 

 primula is none the worse of being 

 divided and transplanted. It is excel- 

 lent for growing in out-of-the-way places 

 during sumrjier, and again planted into 

 beds in the fall to bloom again the fol- 

 lowing spring. Such beds are much 

 more beautiful and valuable than gaudy 

 tulip beds, the bulbs for which have to 

 be bought every fall. The plants should 

 be hardy in many parts of Ontario. 

 The flowers might require a little protec- 

 tion sometimes, when there was a like- 

 lihood of frost. The primula is to Eng- 

 land and Scotland what the gentian is to 



85 



the Alps, the sweetest and most-sought- 

 after flower. 



During May and the fore part of June,. 

 White Rock Cress, Arabis albida, and its- 

 double form play a very prominent part. 

 They are the brightest gems in the gar- 

 den. If a border or edging is made of 

 them, it will be found that the season of 

 bloom is very much lengthened by 

 planting the single and double turn, 

 about in a row, as the one is done when 

 the other begins to bloom. After both; 

 are done blooming, they may be trimmed 

 back short, and sweet alyssum may be 

 planted between the plants of Arabis 

 to keep up the display of white for the 

 rest of the season. Arabis makes a 

 grand rock plant ; the accompanying 

 photograph will show how well it is 

 suited for this purpose. 



Purple Rock Cress, Aubretia Hender- 

 soni, is in bloom at the same time as the 

 white, and makes a grand show of purple. 

 With the exception of the color, the 

 plants are very similar. This is also a 

 grand rock plant. 



Adonis davourica flore plena is a rare 

 and beautiful low-growing plant, very 

 hardy, producing double flowers three 

 inches across, green and yellow in color. 

 The plant has finely cut leaves. It 

 grows 1 5 inches high and is a gem for the 

 rock work. 



-1. Barrenwort, Epimedium alpinum, is- 

 a dainty plant, growing 18 inches high. 

 The foHage is neat and almost evergreen. 

 It produces airy clusters of purplish 

 and yellow flowers of quaint shape. 

 A good place for it is among the rocks 

 or in a clump by itself, where it could be 

 seen to better advantage and its charms 

 protected. 



Leopard's Bane 



A plant that is not often seen is Noble 

 Tumitory, Corydalis noblis. This is one 

 of the finest ornamental herbaceous 

 plants. The flowers appear in large 

 heads on large, strong stems, and are of 

 a rich, yellow color. The plant dies 

 down to the ground soon after flowering. 

 It is a native of Siberia, consequently 



